Power-driven kite string reel

ABSTRACT

A reel on which a kite string is adapted to be wound and from which it may be unwound is journaled at its ends in axially aligned hollow handles one of which houses dry cell batteries and the other of which houses a motor having gear connection with the adjacent end of the reel, the latter handle having a reversing switch for rotating the motor to wind or unwind the string.

United States Patent Elbert Stanton 18039 Hubbell, Detroit, Mich. 48235868.077

Oct. 21, 1969 July 20, 1971 Inventor Appl. No Filed PatentedPOWER-DRIVEN KlTE STRING REEL 10 Claims, 2 Drawing Figs.

U.S. Cl 242/96, 244/155, 273/198 Int. Cl .1 B6511 75/40 Field of Search.242/54, 96;

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,138,356 A 6/1964McClain 1. 244/155 3,191,880 6/1965 Vrsconti 242/54 3,438,595 4/1969Brown etal 242/96 Primary ExaminerLeohard D. Christian Attorney-VictorJ. Evans and Co.

ABSTRACT: A reel on which a kite string is adapted to be wound and fromwhich it may ends in axially aligned hollow handles one of which housesdry cell batteries and the other of which houses a motor having gearconnection with the adjacent end of the reel, the latter handle having areversing switch for rotating the motor to wind or unwind the string.

be unwound is journaled at its PATENTED JUL 20 :97;

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freeways POWER-DRIVEN KITIE STRING REEL BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Theinvention relates to the field of flying kites wherein the kite stringis usually handled by hand, it being the common practice to repeatedlypull and release the string to cause the kite to ascend higher andhigher. As the kite continues to gain height, the string is payed outfrom whatever type of device it may be wound on, and such device is usedfor completely winding the string thereon when the kite is to beretrieved.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A kite string reel is provided with a centralshaft and annular ends, outwardly of the latter of which are extendedhollow annular flanges. These flanges are journaled in the adjacent endsof hollow axially aligned handles so that the reel is supported forrotation in either direction by the handles. These handles are connectedby a preferably integral yoke and a handle is grasped in each hand inmanipulating the device.

One of the handles houses dry battery means connected through a suitableswitch mechanism with a driving motor mounted in the other handle. Thewires between the batteries and the motor-containing housing extendthrough the rigid yoke connecting the housings, such housings and theyoke preferably being formed of plastic. The motor shaft extends towardthe reel and is provided with a pinion meshing with an idler gearsupported in the associated handle, and which idler gear in turn mesheswith an internal ring gear on the adjacent end of the reel which isjournaled in the associated handle.

A string guiding yoke is pivoted at opposite ends to the handlespreferably diametrically opposite the rigid yoke, and the pivoted yokeis provided with a longitudinal opening throughout the length of thereel through which the kite string passes between the reel shaft and thekite. By controlling the reversing switch, the string may be pulled andreleased repeatedly to cause the kite to soar higher and higher, eachreversal of the reel by the motor paying out additional line as the kiterises. When the kite is to be retrieved, the motor is operatedcontinuously in one direction to wind the string on the reel, whereuponthe kite will be pulled down to the operator to be retrieved.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional viewthrough the device, parts being shown in section: and

FIG. 2 is a transverse section on line 22 of FIG. I.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to FIG. 1, thenumerals III and 112 designate a pair of tubular handles, preferably ofmolded plastic, and these handles are connected by an olTset rigid yokeil -ll preferably in tegral with the handles and, of course, alsopreferably formed of plastic.

The adjacent ends of the handles are spaced from each other, andarranged therebetween is a reel indicated as a whole by the numeral 16and comprising an axial shaft 1% and end flanges 20 and 22, the formerof which is provided with a cylindrical extension 24 journaled in theadjacent end of the handle 10. The flange 22 is provided with aprojecting annular flange 26 which is hollow and is provided with anintegral ring gear 28 (FIG. 2) for a purpose to be described.

Within the handle is arranged one or more dry cell batteries of suitablesize, two of such batteries being shown in FIG. I and indicated by thenumeral 30. The end of the handle I0 is provided with a removable cap 31for the removal and replacing of the batteries. One of the batteries 30,remote from the reel, has its metallic base engaging a contact 32connected to one wire 34 extending through the yoke I4 as shown. Thepositive center contact 36 of the same battery engages the base of theother battery 30, the positive center pole 3% of which engages a contact40 connected to the end of a second wire 42 extending through the yoke.One of these wires, for

' example, the wire 341, extends directly to one contact of a motor Mhoused in the handle I2. The other wire 42 leads to a conventionalreversing switch 46, and from this switch two wires th extend to themotor to determine the direction of rotation of the shaft 50 of themotor according to the position of the switch 46.

The handle 12 is provided therein with a bearing arm 52 in which theshaft 50 is journaled, and the free end of such shaft is provided with apinion 54 meshing with an idler pinion 56 mounted on a shaft 58journaled in a bearing 60 fixed to the inside of the handle 12preferably diametrically opposite the bearing arm 52.

Preferably diametrically the yoke I4, the inner ends of the handles it)and I2 are provided with U-shaped members 62 pivotally connected to theinner ends of the arms 64 of a thin yoke 66. The portion of this yokeconnecting the arms 64 is slotted as at 68 for the extensiontherethrough of a kite string 70 tied to a loop 72 carried by the shaftI8v OPERATION The kite is started in flight by hand or by a secondperson while the other person holds on to the handles 10 and 112 of thepresent device. By rotating the reel 16 in one direction and then in theother direction repeatedly, the kite string 70 will be pulled and thenreleased in the same manner to cause the kite to rise into the air. Asthis rising of the kite progresses, the releasing of the string byreversing the switch 46 takes place to a greater extent than theintermittent winding operation, and accordingly the string will begradually payed out as the kite uses.

The handles I0 and R2 are very convenient to hold, one in each hand, anda finger of the hand grasping the handle 12 readily may control theswitch 46.

When it is desired to retrieve the kite, the operator will move theswitch to so that the reel 16 rotates in one direction to wind thestring thereon. During this operation, the device will be rocked backand forth so that the ends of the handles I0 and 12 alternately movetoward and away from the operator. In this way, the string, fed throughthe slot 68, may be progressively wound in one direction on the shaft I8and then in the other direction to distribute the string on the shaft18.

The use of the present device is highly interesting in connection withthe flying of a kite and is a source of substantial entertainment to achild flying the kite. As is well known, children are very fond ofmechanical toys, and particularly electrically operated toys, andaccordingly the present device will be a source of great pleasure to achild.

From the foregoing it will now be seen that there is herein provided animproved power-driven kite string reel which ac complishes all of theobjects of this invention and others, including many advantages of greatpractical utility and commercial importance.

As various embodiments may be made of this inventive concept, and asmany modifications may be made in the embodiment hereinbefore shown anddescribed, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to beinterpreted merely as illustrative, and not in a limiting sense.

Iclaim:

I. A. power-driven kite string reel comprising a body having hollowportions one of which is adapted to receive a dry cell battery, a motormounted in the other hollow portion of said body, said body havingspaced axially aligned portions providing bearings, a reel mountedbetween said spaced portions of said body and having portions journaledin said bearings to be rotatably supported thereby, power transmittingmeans connected between said motor and the adjacent end of said reel,and circuit means connecting said battery and said motor and including areversing switch.

2. A device according to claim 1 wherein said hollow portions of saidbody comprise axiallyaligned handles in one of which said motor ishoused.

- includes wires embedded in said yoke.

5. A device according to claim 2 wherein the projecting portion of saidreel journaled in the handle which houses said motor is provided with aninternal ring gear, said means for transmitting power from said motor tosaid reel comprising a motor shaft and gearing connecting said shaft tosaid ring gear.

6. A device according to claim 3 wherein said handles and said yoke areformed integral of moldable material.

7. A device according to claim 3 wherein said handles are tubular andsaid bearing portions thereof are cylindrical, said reel comprising ashaft and annular flanges at the ends thereof, the portions of said reelrotatable in said bearing portions of said body comprising axiallyaligned cylindrical flanges.

8. A device according to claim 7 wherein said power transmitting meanscomprises a ring gear formed in one of said annular flanges, a motor forsaid shaft, and gearing connected between said shaft and said ring gear.

9. A device according to claim 8 provided with guide means pivoted tosaid handles for guiding a string as it is wound on and unwound fromsaid shaft.

10. A device according to claim 9 wherein said guide means comprises ayoke having an intermediate portion parallel to the shaft of said reeland end portions pivotally connected to the respective handles, saidintermediate portion of said guide means having a longitudinal slotsubstantially coextensive in length with said shaft.

1. A power-driven kite string reel comprising a body having hollowportions one of which is adapted to receive a dry cell battery, a motormounTed in the other hollow portion of said body, said body havingspaced axially aligned portions providing bearings, a reel mountedbetween said spaced portions of said body and having portions journaledin said bearings to be rotatably supported thereby, power transmittingmeans connected between said motor and the adjacent end of said reel,and circuit means connecting said battery and said motor and including areversing switch.
 2. A device according to claim 1 wherein said hollowportions of said body comprise axially aligned handles in one of whichsaid motor is housed.
 3. A device according to claim 2 wherein said bodycomprises a yoke extending between said handles and offset therefrom toprovide space for said reel.
 4. A device according to claim 3 whereinsaid circuit means includes wires embedded in said yoke.
 5. A deviceaccording to claim 2 wherein the projecting portion of said reeljournaled in the handle which houses said motor is provided with aninternal ring gear, said means for transmitting power from said motor tosaid reel comprising a motor shaft and gearing connecting said shaft tosaid ring gear.
 6. A device according to claim 3 wherein said handlesand said yoke are formed integral of moldable material.
 7. A deviceaccording to claim 3 wherein said handles are tubular and said bearingportions thereof are cylindrical, said reel comprising a shaft andannular flanges at the ends thereof, the portions of said reel rotatablein said bearing portions of said body comprising axially alignedcylindrical flanges.
 8. A device according to claim 7 wherein said powertransmitting means comprises a ring gear formed in one of said annularflanges, a motor for said shaft, and gearing connected between saidshaft and said ring gear.
 9. A device according to claim 8 provided withguide means pivoted to said handles for guiding a string as it is woundon and unwound from said shaft.
 10. A device according to claim 9wherein said guide means comprises a yoke having an intermediate portionparallel to the shaft of said reel and end portions pivotally connectedto the respective handles, said intermediate portion of said guide meanshaving a longitudinal slot substantially coextensive in length with saidshaft.